Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician, on the first day of the new session in the Commons. He studied chemistry at Glasgow under Thomas Graham, and under Liebig at Giessen. Professor chemistry at Edinburgh university 1858-1896. Discovered the nitroprusside class of salts. Chemist to the Geological Survey, 1846. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society 1848. Engaged in the organisation of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Liberal MP for the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh 1868-1885. Secretary of State for Science and Art 1855. Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons 1880-1883. Knighted 1883. Created Baron 1892. From The Graphic. (London, 18 February 1882).